Robert finley hunt



(No Model.)

R. F. HUNT.

PAN OPERATING DEVICE No. 479,425. Patented July 26, 1892.

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, au'owtoz 2L8 abfcvzucw QdAMULW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT FINLEY HUNT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FAN-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,425, dated July 26,1892.

Application filed August 15, 1889. Serial No. 320,901. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT FINLEY HUNT, of Washington, in the Districtof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFan-Operating Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of fanoperating devices in whichthe fan is mounted on a vertical shaft or standard and adapted to bemoved in a horizontal plane, motion being. derived through the medium ofa foottreadle, the object of the invention being to provide a portablefan of the class mentioned, whereby it may be located beside a table,sickbed, or at any desired point, and which shall be of such simpledesign as to be of small initial cost, easily operated by any onewithout appreciable exertion, and noiseless when in operation, and inwhich the fan can be adj usted vertically to any desired angle, whilehorizontally the center of the sweep of the fan can, at the pleasureofthe operator and without changing his position with reference to it, befixed radially at any point within an arc of two hundred and seventydegrees or three-quarters of a circle, and reciprocally the position ofthe operator with reference to the fan can be fixed at any point withinthe same arc, thus making the fan universal as to its action and thedirection of the currents of air that it sets in motion.

To these ends the invention consists, broadly stated, in a portable fanhaving a base and post or upright rigidly mounted thereon, with afan-shaft supported in Vertical position and oscillating in bearingsthereon at top and bottom and a treadle connected through suitablegearing with said shaft for imparting motion thereto. Further, theinvention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described, andpointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fanand operating mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper end of the fan-shaft andadjustable fan-support. Fig. 3 is a section on the line w m, Fig. 2.Fig.4is a section of the base andlowerbearingforthefan-shaft,showingamodified form of upright. Fig. 5 isa section looking down on the base and spring and showing the manner ofadjusting the latter. Fig. 6 is a detail of the fan-arm. Fig. 7 is adetail of the treadle attachment.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The baseA of the apparatus may be formed of any suitable material ofsufficient width to afford the necessary lateral support for the uprightand fan-shaft to prevent the same from being easily turned over, but atthe same time so light as to permit of the convenient handling ortransportation of the apparatus from place to place, and on this base isrigidly mounted the upright or post B, preferably high enough to reachabove the top of the fan-shaft C. This fan-shaft O is journaled inbearings at top and bottom of the upright B, the bearings beingpreferably formed at the bottom by a plate D, having a central recess orbearing, in which is stepped the bearing d on the end of the fanrshaft,and at the top by an arm E, secured rigidly on the upright, with abearing through which the journal con the upper end of the shaft passesand a pivoted bracket E,having a step-bearing formed therein at e forthe end of the journal 6. With these hearings the fan-shaft may be-easily removed by turning the bracket to one side, lifting the shaftout of the lower bearing, and then drawing it down out of the upperbearing in arm E.

The arm F, carrying the fan at the outer end, which fan may be of anypreferred or convenient style or size, is simply an elongation of theordinary fan-handle, which is slipped into the socket f, pivotallyconnected to the bracket G, which is in turn adj ustably mounted on thefan-shaft in a manner to be presently described. The socket-arm f ispivoted on the toothed segment g and swung vertically to adjust the fanto any desired angle, being held in adjusted position by the catchformed by the collar h on the arm and adapted to engage the teeth on thesegment, small notches h being formed on diametrically-opposite sides,through which the teeth ICO pass to permit an up-and-down adjustmentwhen said notches are brought into a vertical line. The rotation of thecollar islimited by the screw h working in the slot h The bracketpreferably surrounds the shaft and is split at one side and providedwith a thumb-screw g, adapted to draw the edges together and clamp theshaft, one side of which is preferably flattened, as at 9 to prevent itsaccidental movement within the bracket when it is reciprocated.

At a convenient point on the lower part of the shaft is secured agrooved pulley or wheel I, around which passes a cord or belt 1',running over a pulley K on the end of an arm K, secured firmly 011 theupright, the end of the belt being secured thereto, and to the oppositeend of the belt is connected one end of a treadle L, which, resting atthe far end on the floor, is adapted to be depressed by the operatorsfoot to rotate the shaft and fan in one direction, as will be readilyunderstood. In order now to return the shaft and fan to first position,a spring of neat and compact form is employed, having the convolutionsor coils M surrounding the lower end of the shaft and one end attachedthereto at m and the opposite end adj ustably secured to the base,preferably by being bent into the form of a catch N, adapted to engagewith any one of the series of radial lugs or projections 0, formed onthe base, or preferably, as shown, directly on the plate D. The catch Npasses outside of the first lug, as shown in Fig. 5, and has the endsprung back inside of the second one in order to prevent the lowerconvolutions of the coil from being drawn in against the shaft,producing. a grating sound and wearing the shaft, which for the sake oflightness and cheapness is preferably of soft wood.

Any preferred form of upright may of course be employed, two forms beingshown in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 4, the former being a single turnedpost and the latter a framework formed by two uprights r r, united bycross-pieces S, while many other forms will at once suggest themselvesto persons engaged in perfecting this class of devices.

The apparatus is always held by the spring in such position as that apressure on the treadle will operate the fan at once, swinging the samearound in one direction, the spring immediately returning it to normalposition when the pressure on the treadle is relieved.

The foot-treadle described is a lever of the third order and requiresthe movement of the whole leg to cause a proper operation, and while itis obvious that other forms of treadles may be employed this ispreferably used because of its adaptabilities and simplicity, permittingit to be shifted around the fanshaft to any point and extended away fromthe same, whereby the operator may be removed some distance from thefan, and in connection with such treadlel provide an attachment whichwill enable the treadle to be operated in a manner to bring in the anklemovement, relieving the operator of the additional labor of moving thewhole leg. This attachment consists of the base P, curved around to oneside, as shown, to extend under the treadle L and having at the rear endthe movement of the foot from the ankle, the fulj crum being almostunder the heel.

It is desirable in mechanism of this kind that absolutely no noise bemade by their operation, so as to adapt them for use in the sick-room asin other places where quietness is desirable, and it will be noted thatthroughout the structure herein described this desideratum has beensecured, there being but three points where friction occurs or wheremoving parts come in frictional contact with each other-i. a, the topand bottom bearings for the fan-shaft and the journals of the pulley Kthe convolutions of the spring being separated and the strength of thesame made adjustable, as heretofore described.

The sanitary value of this invention, particularly in asick-room, isalso evident, since it sets in motion all the air in an ordinarysizedroom, thereby improving the ventilation and freshening the air in it.

. I am aware that vertical fan-shafts have been journaled in the centerof a table and operated by a treadle; but such devices do not possessthe elements of portability, cheapness, and adaptability essential tosuccess.

It is obvious that many changes in details adapting the invention foruse in different positions and for particular purposes maybe madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In aportable fan-operating mechanism, the combination, with the base andupright rigidly mounted thereon,the plate having the bearing therein onthe base, and the projections or lugs thereon, of the fan-shaftjournaled in said bearing, the coil-spring surrounding said shaft andhaving the catch engaging said projections, and the pulleys, cord, andtreadle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a fan-operating mechanism, the combination, with the base,upright, and fan-shaft journaled at the bottom on the base and havingthe journal at the upper end, of the hearing for the top of the same,formed by the arm on the upright having the bearing thereon for thejournal, and the movable bracket for preventing the upward movement ofthe shaft and journal, substantially as described.

3. In a portable fan-operatin g mechanism, the combination, with thevertical fan-shaft and operating-treadle, as described, of the bracketon the fan-shaft, having the toothed segment thereon, the arm pivoted insaid segment and having the sleeve thereon engaging the teeth thereofwith the notches to permit the vertical adjustment of the arm, substantially as described.

4. In a portable fan-operating mechanism, the combination, with thevertical fan-shaft and operating-treadle, as described, of theadjustable bracket split on one side, with the thumb-screw for drawingthe sides together and having the toothed segment thereon, the

fan-arm pivoted on said segment and having the sleeve thereon engagingthe teeth with the notches to permit the vertical adjustment of the arm,substantially as described.

5. An attachment for portable fan-operating mechanism, consisting of theforwardlyextending base, with the bearing at one end, and the top ortreadle pivoted in said bearings and adapted to rest on theoperatingtreadle, whereby the necessity for fastening the base down isdispensed with, substantially as described. 7

ROBERT FINLEY HUNT.

Witnesses:

ALEX. S. STEUART, EDWARD D. SMITH.

